The more I become entangled with different fitness groups and communities, the more I realize dance fitness sometimes gets a bad wrap. If you have any reservations about dance fitness, I’m here to convince you otherwise! I totally credit Zumba® as my fitness gateway drug so I take it personally when I hear people, who I know have never taken a class, bad mouth dance fitness. I would challenge anyone who hasn’t taken a dance fitness class, to really try one with an open mind (that means not only showing up, but moving and engaging your body) and then tell me you didn’t get a workout in. Here are five reasons I think you should give dance fitness the credit it deserves!
1. It’s fun!
If every time you workout, you dread it, why would you keep doing it? When I take or teach a dance fitness class I have so much fun that I look forward to it every time. There’s always fun upbeat music blasting and you just can’t beat it. As long as you keep moving, let go of your insecurities and don’t try so hard, you’re going to have fun, I promise! Even if you get lost or feel like you can’t keep up, take it as a great time to laugh at yourself!
2. It burns calories
You may have heard that if you want to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. How many calories are you burning with your current workouts? I burn anywhere from 400 – 500 calories during my favorite class, MixxedFit®. That is a lot of calories for someone my size! Sure, many cardio workouts and classes burn great calories too, but I’ll take an hour of dancing over an hour of running on the treadmill any day!
“Even if you get lost or feel like you can’t keep up, take it as a great time to laugh at yourself!”
3. It works the core
You may think that a dance fitness class is all about cardio, but boy, does your core get a workout! If you aren’t engaging your muscles during any type of exercise, you not only run the risk of injuring yourself, you also aren’t going to get in a good workout. The same goes for a dance fitness class. If you engage while you move, you won’t believe how much your core gets worked. That one time I had abs, I was only doing Zumba® five days a week. No other workouts!
4. Anyone can do it!
Try and tell me you can’t follow the moves or you don’t know how to dance, and I call bullshit! Humans are born with an inherent nature to move their bodies to music, haven’t you seen all those dancing baby videos? Really, what’s going on is you’re afraid to dance, more specifically I’m guessing, you’re afraid to dance in front of people.
I’m here to assure you that I’ve been to hundreds of dance fitness classes and I have never once felt judged by other people attending the class (at least not for dancing but that’s another story). Everyone is there for the same goal, just like other group fitness classes and if you just try and you keep moving you’ll eventually get it! The more you go the easier it gets!
5. Dancing is good for your brain
You’ve probably heard that exercise in general can boost your mood and happiness. But did you know that dance, in particular, has been proven to be beneficial to your brain and mental health? Many studies have been done which demonstrate how dancing not only improves your memory, but can help you fight dementia later on in life. Dancing can also decrease your negative thoughts, enhance positive emotions and improve your mood! I mean, what other reason do you need?
I won’t tell you all dance fitness classes are created equal or that you’ll love every one you attend. You have to find what works best for you. Feel like getting your salsa on? Maybe try some Zumba® classes. Need to pop some booty? My go to is MixxedFit®!
Also, I’ve found that a good teacher is key! I’m not saying they have to be an amazing dancer, but find someone who you connect with, who makes you feel energized, comfortable and excited to be there! *SHOUT OUT to my amazing instructor, Carlos Martinez, here.* Find what works for you, have fun and let go of those inhibitions! You won’t regret it!
I mean, look how much fun I’m having! Lol!
Source: Psyology-Spot.com